There is such a harsh stigma behind eating alone in a restaurant, but there shouldn’t be. Here’s why.
Photo by Electra Studio
Why are people afraid of eating alone?
I include myself with these people because to me, eating alone in a crowded restaurant sounds terrifying. Right from the beginning, having to tell the host or hostess that I need a table for one sounds awkward enough. Now I have to sit at a table, by myself, while everyone else around has somebody to talk to.
So? Who cares?
I think many of us believe that everyone else cares. That everyone is judging us and thinking we are losers. However do we, ourselves, actually care?
I know I don’t. In fact I feel like it can be relaxing and almost therapeutic to spend quality time with myself. I find that we can be our best friend or our greatest enemy.
“We suffer more in imagination that in reality”
Seneca
The people around us are barely paying attention to the fact that we are by ourselves. Even if they do notice, they will forget about it pretty quickly. Eating solo is much more about yourself than it is about anyone else around you. If you can stop telling yourself that it is a problem, then it won’t be a problem.
Luckily, the negative stigma of eating solo has seemed to decrease lately, with some cultures viewing eating by ourselves as empowering.
Solomangarephobia – the fear of eating alone
Apparently there is a name for everything. Solomangarephobia, which took me forever to spell correctly, is the phobia of eating alone. Not to be confused with Deipnophobia, which means you feel anxious when eating with others, or more specifically having to engage in dinner conversations with others.
Solomangarephobia doesn’t just include a phobia of eating alone in public, but also includes the fear of eating alone at home as well. People with this phobia may believe that eating alone can cause mental and physical health issues.
Photo by Alex P
How to be more comfortable eating by yourself
Try eating somewhere less busy: If eating solo in a restaurant is too much for you, try eating somewhere that isn’t so crowded. Less eyes on you me make you feel less anxious.
Bring a distraction: Watching something on your phone or reading a book may distract you from the fact that you are eating alone.
Rewire your thoughts: The biggest way to get over your fear of eating alone is to change how you view. Many people love eating solo because they think of it as a positive experience instead of thinking about all the negatives of eating alone.
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